Keeping Up With Technology

INJECTION MOLDING: New Hot-Runner Technology for PET Preforms

From:
Plastics Technology
Issue:
November
2013

Mold-Masters presents several new hot-runner developments for PET preform molding at Drinktec.

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At the recent Drinktec show in Germany, Mold-Masters Europa GmbH (North American office in Georgetown, Ont.) present several new hot-runner developments for PET preform molding. First, the company showed that its micro pitch technology allows a 96-cavity MPET system to run on a 300-ton press, though such a mold normally requires 400 tons, according to Mold-Masters. The company also can run 128 cavities on a 400-ton machine. With micro pitch, 96 water preforms weighing 9.8 g each can fit a 50 x 110 pitch, replacing a 72-cavity 50 x 140 pitch (photo). The switch produces 13% shorter fill time at equivalent injection pressure, even with 24 additional cavities, thanks to the company’s iFlow hot-runner technology. And its iCool mold technology can result in 45% shorter cooling time and 15.5% shorter cycle overall.

Also shown at Drinktec was the PurgeWizard system, now pre-installed on all the company’s TempMaster M2 hot-runner controllers. This is a semi-automated process for chemical and mechanical purging, which steps the operator through the purge sequence for a selected tool. It also maintains a Purge Log.